STP® Racing History

Follow our racing timeline from that more-than-memorable Memorial Day in 1969, when Mario Andretti took the checkered flag at the Indy 500 in an STP® Special. That car now resides in the Smithsonian Institution in Washington, D.C.

1969

Driving an STP® Special, Mario Andretti won the Indianapolis 500 for his first, and only, time. With a total of 9 wins that season, he also captured the national Driving Championship

1970

STP® jumped into Grand Prix competition, finishing third in the final championship standings. Competing under the STP® colors during those early years (1970-1971) were Ronnie Peterson, Chris Amon, Jo Siffert, Andrea de Adamich, Dieter Quester, Nanni Galloi and Alex Soler-Roig.

1971

STP® got into NASCAR®, sponsoring future Hall of Fame driver Fred Lorenzen. STP® was on the Indianapolis circuit again with drivers Andretti and Steve Krisiloff. In Grand Prix racing, Sweden’s Ronnie Peterson drove an all-new March Formula 1 car to second place in the World Championship.

1972

In a move that would forever change NASCAR®, STP® Day-Glo Red and Petty Blue got hitched when STP® signed a deal to sponsor Richard Petty. The STP® racing team dominated the Australian Tasman Series. Ronnie Peterson continued to carry STP® colors in international Grand Prix racing, teaming with Austria’s Niki Lauda. And an all-new STP® Lola debuted at Indianapolis.

1973

STP® driver Gordon Johncock captured his first Indy 500 (he won again in 1982). The season was full with both NASCAR® and drag racing, which boasted Ohio-born Paula Murphy, nicknamed “Miss STP®.”

1974

Teamed up with STP® for the long haul, superstar Richard Petty won his fifth NASCAR® championship.

1975

Petty does it again! Back-to-back national championships.

The first lady of motorsports, Paula Murphy, was named Outstanding Woman in Racing.

1979

Petty drives to his sixth Daytona 500® victory and a record seventh driving championship.

1981

Kyle Petty joined his dad as a member of the STP® Team and won his first race. A week later, Richard came from far behind to win the Daytona 500® for the 7th time — one of the finest performances ever recorded at the World Center of Racing. Mario Andretti returned to the STP® Indy Car lineup with Johncock as his teammate on the Patrick-owned crew.

1982

Every one of the 42 cars that started the Daytona 500® used STP® products…which, of course, meant that the winning car did.

1984

Once again, STP and Richard Petty took a victory lap together, as he won his 200th NASCAR Winston Cup race.

1986

Richard Petty made his 1,000th start. The only thing more impressive are all of his first-place finishes.

1988

1992

The King Meets The President! In his final year as the driver of the #43 car, Richard Petty received the Medal of Freedom, the highest civilian award, from President George H.W. Bush.

1995

Bobby Hamilton was hired to drive the #43 STP Pontiac and put up ten top-tens.

1996

Bobby Hamilton won his first race in Phoenix, returning the #43 car to Victory Lane.

1997

Bobby Hamilton won again in Rockingham, NC.

1998

John Andretti was chosen to drive the #43 car, and finished 11th in the NASCAR® Winston Cup standings.

2000

STP® was replaced by General Mills as the primary sponsor for the #43 car, but continued to be involved with the Petty team.

2005

Former NASCAR® champion Bobby Labonte joined the #43 team.

2006

STP® returned as the primary sponsor for the #43 car for two races (Talladega and Richmond).

2009

Richard Petty drove the pace car at the Daytona 500®, as part of the 25th anniversary of his 200th win.

STP® and Armor All World of Outlaws™ driver Donny Schatz won his fourth straight Knoxville National championship in an STP® Indy 500 Tribute car.

2010

Richard Petty made history once again with his induction into the new NASCAR® Hall of Fame on May 23rd. The inaugural class also included Bill France Sr., Bill France Jr., Junior Johnson and Dale Earnhardt Jr.

2011

STP® announced its title sponsorship of the STP® 300 Nationwide Series at Chicagoland Speedway and the STP® 400 Sprint Cup race at Kansas Speedway. STP® also announced a multi-year track sponsorship of Infineon Raceway (now Sonoma Raceway) along with title sponsorship of Wednesday Night Drags and Bracket Days.

2012

STP® and World of Outlaws™ announced that 2013 will mark the start of STP® ’s title sponsorship of the World of Outlaws™ STP® Sprint Car Series.

Victory Junction:

STP® celebrated its 40th anniversary in racing with Richard Petty by donating $43,000 to Victory Junction Gang Camp, to help make campers' dreams come true.

2013

STP® partnered with Martinsville Speedway to host the Gas Booster 500, won by Jimmie Johnson.

2014

STP® celebrated its 60th Anniversary and hosted the STP 500 at Martinsville Speedway, won by Kurt Busch.

Aric Almirola earned his first career Sprint Cup win at Daytona International Speedway on the anniversary of Richard Petty's 200th NASCAR Cup win.

STP® World of Outlaws driver Donny Schatz won his eighth Knoxville Nationals title in nine years

Aric Almirola qualified for NASCAR's “Chase for the Sprint Cup.”

2015

STP hosted the second annual STP 500 at Martinsville Speedway, won by Denny Hamlin.

Driver Aric Almirola went "all-in" for NASCAR's inaugural throwback race at Darlington Raceway where STP honored the 1972 season, its first with Richard Petty.

1969

Driving an STP® Special, Mario Andretti won the Indianapolis 500 for his first, and only, time. With a total of 9 wins that season, he also captured the national Driving Championship

1971

STP® got into NASCAR®, sponsoring future Hall of Fame driver Fred Lorenzen. STP® was on the Indianapolis circuit again with drivers Andretti and Steve Krisiloff. In Grand Prix racing, Sweden’s Ronnie Peterson drove an all-new March Formula 1 car to second place in the World Championship.

1972

In a move that would forever change NASCAR®, STP® Day-Glo Red and Petty Blue got hitched when STP® signed a deal to sponsor Richard Petty. The STP® racing team dominated the Australian Tasman Series. Ronnie Peterson continued to carry STP® colors in international Grand Prix racing, teaming with Austria’s Niki Lauda. And an all-new STP® Lola debuted at Indianapolis.

1974

Teamed up with STP® for the long haul, superstar Richard Petty won his fifth NASCAR® championship.

1982

Every one of the 42 cars that started the Daytona 500® used STP® products…which, of course, meant that the winning car did.

1992

The King Meets The President! In his final year as the driver of the #43 car, Richard Petty received the Medal of Freedom, the highest civilian award, from President George H.W. Bush.

1997

Bobby Hamilton won again in Rockingham, NC.

1998

John Andretti was chosen to drive the #43 car, and finished 11th in the NASCAR® Winston Cup standings.

2005

Former NASCAR® champion Bobby Labonte joined the #43 team.

2009

Richard Petty drove the pace car at the Daytona 500®, as part of the 25th anniversary of his 200th win.

STP® and Armor All World of Outlaws™ driver Donny Schatz won his fourth straight Knoxville National championship in an STP® Indy 500 Tribute car.

2010

Richard Petty made history once again with his induction into the new NASCAR® Hall of Fame on May 23rd. The inaugural class also included Bill France Sr., Bill France Jr., Junior Johnson and Dale Earnhardt Jr.

2012

World of Outlaws:

STP® and World of Outlaws™ announced that 2013 will mark the start of STP® ’s title sponsorship of the World of Outlaws™ STP® Sprint Car Series.

Victory Junction:

STP® celebrated its 40th anniversary in racing with Richard Petty by donating $43,000 to Victory Junction Gang Camp, to help make campers' dreams come true.

2015

STP hosted the second annual STP 500 at Martinsville Speedway, won by Denny Hamlin.

Driver Aric Almirola went "all-in" for NASCAR's inaugural throwback race at Darlington Raceway where STP honored the 1972 season, its first with Richard Petty.